SUMMER BREAK
(Whatsapp Group conversations)
“Dude! I cannot wait to go to Goa!!!!” -Jay
“hahaha! Me too man! I was just thinking about it” –Kira
“Babe! Study!!” –Anjali “And Kira, How many topics have
you finished?”
“C’mon ya, how much you study!” –Kira
“Dude! I haven’t done anything, and you do realize we
have exams tomorrow right?” –Anjali
Kira Bagasrawala was the younger daughter of the king of
the soap business in the nation, Hussain Bagasrawala. She had completed her
Graduation in mass media and was planning to shift to the US with her sister
for further studies. Kira embodied the typical rich kid - one whose arms were always adorned by
Italian clutches and French handbags.
Jay Guilluame Descoteaux had Indo – French origins – son
of a famous Indian Architect Father and a Celebrity interior designer French
Mother. Jay had no ideas about his future; all he was interested in was
Photography and Music. He had a steady date in Anjali for a few months now.
Anjali Menon was the daughter of a renowned filmmaker
Krishnan Menon. Anjali was interested in Art direction and had plans of joining
her father in his next venture as an assistant.
_________________________________________________________________
(On their way to goa, in Jay’s car)
“Dude! You do realize there is a rear view mirror in the
car right?” Kira said, mockingly.
“Shut up Kira! Just look ahead and drive!” shouted Jay,
adjusting his pants as well as the rear view mirror from the back seat.
Jay and Anjali had been dating for the past five months.
Whereas Jay and Kira became best friends five months back, after they broke up
from a year long relationship. Jay shared every little secret with Kira, ranging
from his affairs to his mums. When he told Kira about his feelings for Anjali,
she was completely okay with it and set him free; partially because she never
felt any romance between them and partially because she knew the feelings Jay spoke
about were not his but his little Johnny’s.
_________________________________________________________________
After a ten hour long Journey, they finally reached
Kira’s uncle’s farmhouse. Her uncle Faiz, had been waiting to receive her.
“Faizu! How are
you?” screamed out Kira, jumping out of the car, hugging and kissing her uncle.
“I am very well, how are you sweetie?”
“Sexy. See!” pointing out at herself, Kira laughed
“Ok meet my gang now!” pointing at Jay and Anjali, said
Kira “Jay, Anjali! This is my uncle Faizu”
“Hello!” Jay and Anjali said in unison.
“Hello Jai” Uncle
Faiz shook his hand, “Anjali, My God! You’re pretty!” looking at Anjali.
“This is a lovely house!” retorted Jay.
“Oh! Thank you!”,smiled
Faiz “You guys go freshen up, I will meet you up in say half an hour. Let us go
for dinner somewhere?”
“Okay, sure!” replied Kira.
_________________________________________________________________
(Next evening, at the farmhouse)
“Kira!” called out Uncle Faiz. Kira, Jay and Anjali were
leaving for the nearby beach for a stroll.
“Yes,Faizu?”
Kira turned around to face her Uncle. He was not alone. A
young guy stood beside him. He was tall, his complexion dark and he had a
rather brooding personality. Behind him, stood another boy and girl.
“This is Glen Kuruvilla, My friend’s son” Uncle Faiz said.
“Hi! Kira.” Shaking hands with Glen, introduced Kira.
Glen was the son of Faiz’s close friend, Joseph
Kuruvilla, who ran a chain of South-Indian restaurants in Goa. He had shifted
to Goa with his family eight years ago. Glen had completed his graduation in
Biotechnology and was looking for a job.
“He is the lead singer and guitarist of his college
band”, prompted Uncle Faiz as they shook hands.
“Oh! That’s awesome! These are my friends Jay and Anjali”
“Hi!”, Glen shaking hands with both of them.
“Oh! This is Kalki and Nikhil” pointing out to the girl and
the boy standing behind him, said Glen.
“They are my school friends from Ahmedabad.”
“Hey why don’t you take them all to that water park in
Panjim?” said Uncle Faiz, speaking to Glen.
“Um, Faizu, we were actually…” interrupted Kira.
“Bacha! Don’t
worry it’s a nice place…you guys will have fun!”
“Your car is still not back from the garage! You guys can
hire the scooties here” suggested Uncle Faiz.
Both Kira and Glen weren't particularly happy about
dropping their own plans and going to a water park with three other strangers. However
they couldn't contradict Faiz and finally agreed and went along with the plan.
“I am soooo not driving with that coconut tree.”
Whispered Kira, to Anjali and Jay, “Anjali, hop in.”
“Hey” exchanging a flat smile, Jay and Glen drove
together.
_________________________________________________________________
(On the way to the water park)
“So what do you do?” asked Glen, trying to strike a
conversation.
“I am a mass media graduate” replied Jay, “You?”
“I just finished my M Tech in Biotechnology.”
“So you play the Guitar?”
“Yeah, we have this college band” beamishly replied Glen
“Do you play anything?”
“No! not really. Though I have always had a thing for the
flute”
“Flute, huh!” replied Glen, intrigued,“I have a friend
who plays flute. It’s quite difficult actually!”
“So I’ve heard! I like the Bamboo ones, they sound, um…
earthy.” Jay replied, smiling
“Me too! they sound better that the metallic ones”
“So what kind of music do you like?”
“Actually I grew up listening to a lot of French songs…um…Jazz,
Rock and Pop…that sort of stuff.
But lately I’m into Indian percussions, folks
and Hindustani Music”
“Wow! That sounds, um… different!”
“Wait, French?” continued Glen
“Yeah, My mum’s French and she has a great taste in
music”
“Oh! But your name is Jay right? Let me guess- Indian
father?”
“Yeah” smiling, Jay said, “My full name is Jay Guilluame
Descoteaux”
“J-G-Disco what!” laughing out loud Glen said.
It didn’t take much time for Jay and Glen to hit it off.
As hours passed, Glen gelled up well with Anjali and Kira as well. Kalki and Nikhil
on the other hand, felt a little left out.
“That was fun man!” Jay said to Glen as they reached back
to their farmhouse.
“Yeah!” smiled Glen,“Hey, why don’t we meet up for
dinner? There’s this amazing daaba
nearby and the food is really good!”
“You mean Dhaaba?”
bursting out laughing Kira said.
“Yeah! Yeah! The same thing!” laughing back Glen replied.
“Sure, Nine sounds good?”
“Cool”
“Okay, I’ll meet you by nine!”
(As Glen, Kalki and Nikhil were going back to Glen’s
house)
“Dude! What’s going on?” stopping Glen, Kalki shouted.
“What? What happened?”
“Five hours earlier you were making faces going with them
to the water park and five slides later you’re having dinner with them?” Kalki
asked, popping her walnut sized eyes.
“Relax! They sound cool. Plus TWO hot chicks! How long am
I supposed to spend looking at you?” Giggled Glen and started driving.
Kalki wasn’t very excited or happy about the whole dinner
plan; and Nikhil, well, wasn’t bothered much. Kalki was possessive when it came
to her friends.
_________________________________________________________________
(At the Dhaba, on the table)
“So who’s dating who amongst you three?” Jay biting a
piece of chicken asked.
“Oh! God no! NO! We are all just friends!” Kalki jumped
into the conversation.
Everyone at the table started laughing.
“And who is dating who amongst you guys?” asked Glen
curiously staring at Anjali.
“Well, Anjali is my girlfriend.” proclaimed Jay.
“Though he had parked in here as well for around a year!”
pointing down at her legs, Kira remarked.
“What? That’s crazy!” Glen laughing asked.
“Wait, let me guess - you both are best friends!”
Pointing out at Kira and Anjali, Kalki asked, “Or um, were best friends?”
“No! No! They are best of friends! I got to know Kira
only after I started dating Jay.”
The camaraderie between Jay, Kira and Anjali had
intrigued Kalki enough to be an active part of the conversation. Nikhil sat
quiet, listening to the conversations and enjoying his food.
“Nikhil, right?” asked Kira trying to involve Nikhil in
the conversation as well.
“Yeah!” smiled Nikhil.
“What do you do?”
“Fourth year Engineering, Mechanical”
“Of course!”
“Excuse me?”
“Ah! No nothing”
“What do you do?”
“I am a mass media graduate, will be going to US for my
masters next month!”
Somewhere, while the others were busy discussing
relationships, Kira and Nikhil seemed to get along as well.
“Wait, if you wanted to join your father’s business
anyway, why did you even do Engineering?”
“Because it will help me understand the technical aspects
of the production!”
Nikhil continued, “People generally have this notion that
why do Engineering if you want to get into marketing or business! You gotta
understand that studying Engineering gives us a better theoretical and
practical knowledge of any type of production of a company. It even helps in
enhancing technical skills which forms the basis of any business firm!”
“Okay Mr. Newton, can we now back to conversational
English please?!” Kira replied, poker faced before breaking into a crooked
smile.
_________________________________________________________________
(Kalki’s Farmhouse)
After having an amazing dinner, Kira Jay and Anjali
returned to their rooms. They had already planned for a drive to the nearby
waterfalls together the next day. Their two groups had finally clicked and
there were other budding emotions. Kira had started liking Nikhil, Glen was
crushing on Anjali and Jay seemed to be interested in Kalki now.
“Not today, babe!” snuggling into the bed Anjali said.
“Why?” shouted Jay, making a sad and confused face.
“Twelfth day”
“Darn it!” making faces said Jay, while Kira stood
laughing at their conversations.
“May be I should ask Kalki for some help tonight!”
smirked Jay, winking at Kira.
“What?” raising her eyebrows Anjali replied.
“Okay bye!” Kira left their room.
________________________________________________________________
(At the waterfalls)
While all four of them were playing at the waterfalls,
Kira and Nikhil walked up to the rocks nearby after a while.
“So, do you have a girlfriend?”, intrudingly Kira asked.
“No!” laughing, Nikhil replied. “What about you? Are you seeing
someone?”
“No, not for a while now!”
“So, you were dating Jay earlier?”
“Yeah”
“And you’re best friends with him now?”
“Yes?” smiled Kira.
“How does that work?” chuckled Nikhil, “I mean, isn't it
kind of awkward with his current girlfriend being around all the time?”
“You know, I exactly knew what I was getting into when I
started dating him. His problem is he gets bored of people too soon.
Surprisingly what I shared with him was more than just a girlfriend.” Continued
Kira
“He was just too good as a person for me to let go
because of a relationship. So we are best friends now.” Smiled Kira, “Or he is my best friend now.”
“Well! He is definitely half French and half
Indian…French in relationships and Indian in letting go!” Nikhil remarked
sarcastically.
Kira burst out laughing, her body quivering with delight.
_________________________________________________________________
(Back in the farmhouse, Jay texts Kalki)
“Today was amazing, Thank you! ;)” –Jay
“Haha! Yeah! It was. I mean c’mon, I should be thanking
you.” –Kalki
“Well let’s just thank each other then :P” –Jay
“Ah! Also I must thank your girlfriend for that then
>_<” –Kalki
“Hahah! Sure! So what’s up with you?” –Jay
“I just had the yummiest pork biryani cooked with red
wine Glen’s mom made! *_*” –Kalki
“Aha! Not better than the Beef bourguignon I cook, I’m
sure!” –Jay
“Wow! You cook as well?” –Kalki
“Let’s just say I possess a lot of other talents that you
don’t know! :P ” –Jay
While Jay is texting Kalki, Kira walks in the balcony for
a smoke.
“So, what’s cooking here?” Looking at Jay smiling into
his phone Kira asked.
“Beef bourguignon” laughed back Jay.
“Seriously dude! How many people do you try that on?”
Beef bourguignon was Jay’s best pick up line, the same one
which had worked on Kira almost a year ago. The same dish he had cooked for her
on their first date.
“Hey! Credit due here OK! I am a limited edition guy who
can cook international cuisine. That’s a gift that I choose to share with a
select few” Jay declared pompously.
Kira rolled her eyes.
“So who is it exactly that you’re hitting on ? Ms. Roshogulla or Mr. Coconut tree?”
curiously asked Kira about Kalki and Glen.
“I like Kalki! You know she’s smart... and funny... and cool.” Jay
retorted.
“They all are Jay! They all are!”
“Aye! Shut up!” laughed Jay, “But you know seriously, she
actually sounds different! And enough about me, what’s going on between you and
Nikhil by the way?” continued Jay.
“Nothing! He is…he is cute!” said Kira, winking at Jay.
_________________________________________________________________
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye! Days were filled with sunny beaches, water
sports, drives and nights with crazy parties, shopping and delicious food! All six
of Kira, Jay, Anjali, Glen, Kalki and Nikhil got along like a house on fire! Though
there were steady developments between all of them individually. Jay was too
much into Kalki to foresee the chemistry between Glen and Anjali. Kira and
Nikhil on the other hand seemed pretty happy in each other’s company.
(While hanging out in the farmhouse swimming pool; Anjali
and Glen talking in Malayalam)
“Oh my God! Do you sense the total mallu energy in this house?” Kalki making a comment on Glen and
Anjali said.
“Kalki, did you know jealousy still doesn’t have a cure!”
laughing, Glen replied, while continuing their conversation.
Anjali had wanted to visit a famous artist nearby to use the
paintings for her next project with her father. Glen promised to take her the
next day.
_________________________________________________________________
(Driving back from the art gallery)
“The paintings were so beautiful!” Anjali said.
“Yeah! You know this is the first time I came here!”
chuckled Glen, “I knew there was some artist here, but had never actually come!”
“Hey, there is a gig by this Kerala band ‘Avial’ tomorrow
nearby, would you like to come with me?” asked Glen.
“Um, Glen, I don’t want to give you any wrong notions,
but you know I’m dating Jay right?”
“Yeah! I know! I just casually asked you out!”
smiled Glen, “But seriously come…You know, like a friend!”
“You’re asking me out- like a friend?”
“Yes!” laughed out Glen, “And moreover Jay already has
plans to go out with Kalki tomorrow, didn't he tell you?”
“Go out? Where?”
“They are going to this wine tasting festival, Grape
Escapade.”
“Oh!” lost in her thoughts Anjali replied back.
_________________________________________________________________
Coming back from ‘Avial’s
gig, Glen and Anjali saw Kira and Nikhil standing in the balcony, kissing.
“Looks like you don’t have to worry about anything now!”
Glen said, nervily.
“She was never something I had to worry about!” smiled
Anjali and went up to her room.
_________________________________________________________________
Kira had invited everyone for a party at her farmhouse. She had arranged food and drinks for everyone, including some of
Glen’s friends they met at a party. Glen had arranged for some Malana cream
through a friend.
“Look what I got!” smiled Glen, showing up a slice.
“Whoa! Where did you score that?” Jay, taking the slice
from Glen.
“A friend of mine had been there, I asked him to get some
stuff for me.” Glen said smilingly.
After a round of puffs, almost everyone was tripping,
laughing and falling around. While then, Kalki suggested they all play ‘Never
Have I Ever’. The drinking game involved a person saying a simple statement starting with ‘Never have I ever’. Anyone who has
done what the first player has not, must drink.
“Never have I ever made out with two different people on
the same day”, Laughing, Kalki said, taking a shot.
Following which, Glen, Jay and Kira took a shot, bursting
out into laughter.
“That better not be in the last five months!” Anjali
said, looking at Jay. Jay just laughed back.
“Never have I ever gotten involved with someone else’s
partner!” said Glen.
Glen, Kalki and a few others took a shot.
“Never Have I Ever imagined someone else in mind while
having sex with someone else?” Said Kira, taking a shot.
“Stop thinking about me while you sleep with Nikhil,
Kira!” Jay foxily said, laughing.
Kira kicked Jay, while a few others took a shot.
“Okay my turn” continued Jay, “Never Have I Ever had a
threesome!” and took a sip.
Everyone looked at each other but nobody took a
shot.
The game continued for a while with questions ranging
from one’s sexual life to fears, love and cheating.
“Never Have I Ever broken a furniture while having sex”
“Never Have I Ever checked my partner’s phone”
“Never Have I Ever drunk texted and regretted it the
morning after”
Almost 13 shots, and a slice of cream later, Jay was
stoned and totally wasted. He couldn't even stand up straight and walk. While
Glen was helping him go up to his room and sleep, Jay hurled everything out of
his stomach. Glen helped him clean up, wash and change, and dragged him to his
bed.
“I have to admit, that Roasted Prawn Cocktail tasted
better going down, than coming up!” laughed out loud Jay.
“Okay, now go to sleep!” Said Glen putting him down to
his bed, himself struggling to stand straight.
Just as Glen was about to leave the room, Jay pulled him
and kissed. Jay had a crush on Glen from the day they met, though they didn't
click and Jay liked Kalki more. Glen however was heterosexual and had no idea
about Jay. It was just the heat of the moment that Glen kissed him back. Just
then Kalki walked up to Jay’s room, drunk, with a bottle of vodka to see both
of them kiss. Glen, realizing what happened stopped and left the room.
_________________________________________________________________
(The next morning, everyone sitting in the
hall sipping coffee)
Jay got up from his sleep, and came down to
see all five of them sitting in the hall. Kalki had by then told everyone about
what she saw last night.
“Hey good morning everyone!” smiled Jay.
“I told them about what happened last night”,
Kalki making a face, said.
“So?” Jay stared back at her confused, making
his cup of coffee.
“So?” shocked, Kalki replied, “Is there
ANYONE in this room you haven’t slept with yet?”
Everyone stayed quiet, looking at both of
them.
“Nikhil?” looking at Nikhil, Kira yelled.
“Oh! No! No! Not me” hastily replied back
Nikhil.
Kira took a deep sigh.
Jay, laughing, said “What’s a big deal? I
kissed him; we were drunk AND stoned!”
“You seem to have more of a problem about
this than his girlfriend!” said Anjali dubiously.
“Anybody you haven’t slept with in this room…”
repeating her line Kira said, “Um, does that include you as well?” looking at
Kalki.
Kalki suddenly went silent and looked down.
“So that is why, this is bothering you so
much!”,added Anjali.
“He never even told me he was gay!” Shouted
back Kalki in frustration.
“Bisexual” corrected Jay, sipping his cup of
coffee.
“Are all French men gay?” commented Nikhil
with a straight face.
Jay gave him a “Whaddya think, genius?” look
and nodded a No.
“Are you kidding me? You didn't notice
anything?” laughed Kira, “His personal brief on Instagram reads ‘I like apples
AND bananas’ for Christ's sake!”
Jay and Kalki had got physically involved during
the time they had been to the wine tasting festival. However, Jay had come back
and told about this to Kira and Anjali the same day. Kalki had kept that a
secret and didn't talk about it. Anjali broke up with Jay on the very same day,
when he came and said he had feelings for Kalki now. But as days passed by, his
feelings about Kalki melted away. Jay had always been that way- his attention span over a person never lasted
for too long. Though it hurt a few people down the road, but he always chose to
keep those people in his life who meant a lot to him. He would do anything to
love them and protect them. Kira was one such person, who meant a lot to him.
Anjali unfortunately couldn't achieve that.
Anjali left to Mumbai the next day, while Jay
and Kira stayed back for a week. Kira had started loving Nikhil, to an extent,
she didn't imagine she would. They both made plans of staying in touch
throughout the two years. An awkwardness remained between Jay and Glen, but
eventually things settled down. And Kalki, well, she was just heartbroken. But
eventually, she realized what she had always known – she was a stopover in
Jay’s life. And that little epiphany comforted her back to her old self.
*---------**-------------------------------**----------*
Comments
Post a Comment